Natalie Cole 1950-2020

We remember Natalie Cole all day today. It would have been her 70th birthday.

We remember Natalie Cole all day today. It would have been her 70th birthday.
There is this special scene in Philippe Falardeau‘s “My Salinger Year”, which opened the 70th Berlinale last night, where literary agent Margaret (played by the hilariously witty Sigourney Weaver) shows her level-headed, almost tender side instead of her otherwise cold and rigorous manner. It’s where she tells aspiring writer Joanna (Margaret Qualley in her next…
GLOW is not a single artist or a group, but rather a production team of songwriters, producers and composers who works for groups, bands, and solo artists. And so, Dave Love starts off this brilliant indie soul album with a very sexy “Best Of Me”, shuffling along effortlessly and with a lot of warmth, reminding…
Many of last year’s LP releases had to be postponed due to too few vinyl manufacturers, but the new Nate Smith LP, his first for Edition Records, just came through in time for Christmas. Five years after “Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere” on Ropeadope, the drummer, composer, keyboardist follows up with a fascinating new album which…
Both of my turntables with belt drives quit their work in the course of a few days recently. The only alternative: a direct drive turntable. Throughout my years in the clubs of 90s Berlin, the standard was, and I guess still is, the Technics 1210. The next best bet clearly is the Audio-Technica 140 XP…
There is something majestic about piano trios, even more so when the leader is an expert on restraint and finesse. I’ve seen Aaron Diehl a lot of times with singer Cécile McLorin Salvant, refining and reinterpreting the Great American Songbook and Salvant originals and this, “The Vagabond”, has seven of his own compositions, one by…
Back in 2010, Bahamian soul/jazz singer Brettina (Brettina Lorena Robinson) released her debut album which includes the still thrilling “Bahamian Girl”. She’s back now after so many years with a version of her track “Simple Pleasures”, produced by Bluey of Incognito. The song comes to life (again) with this match made in heaven. The pairing…